Impressionist pioneer Edward Degas famously said, “Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.” This is true in more ways than one for the faculty in DVC’s Art Department, who according to instructor and Art Gallery Coordinator Arthur King, want to show students they’re more than just instructors, they’re practicing artists too.
DVC’s annual Faculty Art Show, held in the gallery inside the art quad, is an open exhibit showcasing work from 18 participating instructors, and isn’t limited to a single theme. The result is a content-diverse representation of disciplines and media ranging from sculpture, printmaking and ceramics, to drawing, painting and photography.
Most of the instructors have shown in previous campus exhibits, and according to King are practicing artists with professional experience showing in galleries as prestigious as the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. “It’s a way for students to see what the faculty members do when they’re not in the classroom. The teachers view it is a great opportunity to engage their students about the art making process,” King said.
The exhibit is an intimate single room of sectioned aisles each opening into the other, and houses an array of intriguing work. One of the pieces, a figurative multimedia portrait arrangement of a sculpture and drawing on a plinth and wall titled “Jacuzz,” features two large disembodied heads. The pink grimacing portraits starkly contrast the mostly white backdrop of the room, drawing attendees in.
For their part, students are largely receptive to the show. “It shows the teachers know what they’re doing, and that they earned their spot. I had Luke Damiani for sculpture for a semester, and I saw pictures of his work, but never up close, so now I can see it. Now it’s like, ‘oh, so he does know it all,’” says photography student Adrianna Murray.
The link making isn’t limited to art students. Various majors were in attendance, many appreciating the rare glimpse into the window of the instructor process. Federal work studies student Erica Back submits, “It’s for the good. I like how instructors can show students what it is they’re teaching.”
With so much talent occupying much of the same space, King dispelled any notion that the show might be competitive. “It’s not a competition. Artwork is all about who we are as individuals. Art itself is very personal. It’s not like running a race.”
The faculty will have over two weeks to showcase their styles, and bridge the teacher-student artistic divide with the exhibit running from Jan. 23 – Feb. 12, Monday through Thursday 11:00-4:00 p.m., and Fridays 11:00-3:00 p.m.
